Natural gas fields that are currently being produced frequently contain acid gases, in addition to the methane and decreasing amounts of higher hydrocarbons that are normally associated with natural gas production. Acid gases which are often encountered include one or more of CO2, CO, hydrogen sulfide, carbonyl sulfide, carbon disulfide, mercaptans, sulfides and aromatic sulfur compounds. Processing and handling natural gas that contains acid gas contaminants present corrosion, handling and environmental problems that are generally addressed with high cost equipment and special procedures, often with additional energy costs involved.
Natural gas fields containing high amounts of carbon oxides are particularly costly and difficult to produce. Natural gas fields that contain greater than 70 vol. % carbon oxides are known. Low temperature liquefaction of such natural gas requires almost quantitative carbon oxide removal prior to the liquefaction step. The operator is thus faced with the challenges of removing that amount of carbon oxides in a cost effective process and disposing it in an environmentally responsible manner. Subterranean injection of carbon oxides is known, but it is neither easy, nor foolproof, nor cheap. Carbon oxide reaction schemes present other difficulties. An improved method of handling carbon oxide containing natural gas is desired.